Weather vane



Sept. 11", 1923.

mamas M. R. RUMFELT WEATHER VANE Filed June '7, 1922 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1' Patented Sept. 11 1923.

UNITED STATES mean MICHAEL R. RUMFELT, OF SOUTH. LIMA, NEWYORK. I

WEATHER VANE.

Application filed June 7, 1922. Serial No. ,566,628.-

To all 1107mm it may concern:

Be it known that LMIOHAEL R. RUMFELT, citizen of the United States, residing at South Lima, in the county of Livingston and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Weather Vanes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relatesto toy aeroplanes, and more particularly to an aeroplane model adapted ,for use as a wind-gauge or weathercock.

An important object of the invention is to provide a device ofthis character which is very simply yet strongly constructed in order that the same may be cheaply produced and at the same time provide a structure which is of suflicient strength to withstandexposure to the elements and the pressure of accumulated sleet and snow.

A- further object ofthe invention is to provide in a device of this character novel and efiicient means for. coupling the plane sections of a biplane type model to one another.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an eflicient mounting for a wind gauge of this type.

These and other objects I accomplish by the construction and arrangement shown in the accompanying drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention and. wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional View taken through a weather vane constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a plan view thereof.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates a stream line body preferably formed of sheet metal and reinforced at its forward end by a block 11 of wood or the like. The numeral 12 indicates a lower plane section which is secured centrally to the body 10 by means of bolts 13 extending through the plane section 12 centrally thereof and through the body 10 and reinforcing block 11. The plane section has formed therein an opening 14 aligning with corresponding openings 15 and 16 formed in the reinforcing block 11 v and body 10 respectively. The reinforcing block is provided at its upper and lower surfaces with recesses 17 forming enlargements of the opening 15 therein and adapted for the reception of bearings 18 for rotatably receiving a supporting shaft 19 by means of which the body may be supported. The upper end of this shaft is held against vertical movement by means of a hood 20 covering the upper opening 16 of the-body 10 and against the under surface of which the upper end of the supporting shaft 19 abuts. The lower face of'the plane section 12 has secured thereto a bracket 21 which has an opening through which the shaft 19 extends, the portion of the bracket'at which the opening is formed being spaced. from the lower surface of the plane. The shaft 19 between the plane surface and thebr'acket 21is provided with an opening 22 therethrough adapted for the reception of a securing element,such as a cotter pin, which by; operating above the bracket 21 prevents vertical movement of the body with relation to the support shaft 19 and at the same time permits free rotation thereof upon the shaft.

The rear end ofthe body section is flat tened to form ajvertical tailsection'23' upon opposite sides of which are arranged horizontal tail sections 24 having flanges 2.5 which flatly abut the side faces of the tail sections 23 and are secured thereto by means of rivets 26 or the like. The vertical tail section 23 will be of suflicient size to act as a rudder to turn the body with its head into the wind, the horizontal tail sections being provided merely for the purpose of increasing the likeness of the model to an aeroplane. Secured within the block 11 and extending forwardly through the nose of the body 10 is a shaft 27 upon which is mounted a propeller 28 of any desired construction. Between the propeller 28 and the nose of the body 10 an anti-friction bearing 29 is preferably interposed, and upon the nose 1' preferably mount an oil cup'SO forsupplying oil to the bearing and shaft. The hood 20 likewise has preferably mounted thereon an oil cup 31 for supplying ,oilto the upper end of the shaft 19 so that it will'pass downwardly to shaft.

The numeral 32 designates an upper plane section which isheld in spaced relation to the lower plane section 12 by means of central, intermediateand end braces 38, tand the shaft and lubricate the bearings 18 and y 35. The central braces 35, of which two are provided one at the front and one at the rear of the planes, are composed of a length of stiff wire which is directed through the body 10 and the reinforcing block 11 and which has its ends oppositely bent, as indicated at 36, these bent ends engaging the adjacent faces of the planes. The intermediate braces 34 are composed of stiff wire bent to form substantially a rectangle, the end portions of which engage adjacent faces at corresponding sides of the plane sections 12 and 32. The end braces 35 are similar to the central braces 33 with the exception of the fact that the central portions thereof are not directed through the body and that the end portions 37 thereof are arranged at less than a right angle to the body so that they may be engaged with the lower plane at a point inwardly of the ends of the upper plane. The upper plane preferably being the longer, attention is directed to the fact that this provides a diagonal brace tending to make the connection of the plane sections 12 and 32 much more rigid. The ends of the braces 33, 34 and 35 are secured to their respective plane sections by notching the plane sections, as indicated at 38, at the edges thereof and employing the flaps of metal thus formed to form loops receiving these end portions. These loops may be secured to the body of their respective plane sections in any desired manner, in the present instance being shown as riveted thereto.

The plane sections 12 and 32 are provided at spaced intervals with openings 39 adapted for the reception of'guy wires i0 which may be arranged in any desired manner. To additionally brace the plane sections 12 and 32 the vertical tail section 23 is preferablyprovided with an opening 41 by means of which bracing guy wires 42 may be extended from the planes to the tail section. If desired, in order to complete the resemblance of the model to an aeroplane, an under carriage structure 4:3 of any desired type may be secured to the under surface of the plane section 12.

From the foregoing it is believed to be obvious that a weather vane constructed in accordance with my invention will closely approximate an aeroplane in structure and appearance and may at the same time be very cheaply and strongly constructed. It will furthermore be obvious that the construction hereinbefore set forth is capable of some change and modification without materially departing from the spirit of my invention and I accordingly do not limit myself to such specific structure except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim 1+- 1. A toy aeroplane adapted for use as a weathercock embodying fuselage and upper and lower planes, braces extending intermediate the upper and lower planes and each provided at the ends thereof with angularly bent portions abutting the adjacent faces of the plane sections, and integral portions of said plane sections looped about the angular ends of said braces.

2. A toy aeroplane adapted for use as a weathercock embodying fuselage and upper and lower planes, braces extending intermediate the upper and lower planes and each provided at the ends thereof with angularly bent portions abutting the adjacent faces of the plane sections, and integral portions of said plane sections looped about the angular ends of said braces, certain of said braces securing said fuselage to said plane sections.

3. In a toy aeroplane of the biplane type, and in combination with the upper and lower planes thereof, brace members arranged at the longitudinal edges of the planes and each provided at its ends with angular portions fitting against the adjacent faces of the plane sections, said plane sections being notched to provide loops, said loops being engaged about said angular portions to secure said brace sections in posi tion.

at. In a toy aeroplane of the biplane type and in combination with the upper and lower planes thereof, brace members arranged at the longitudinal edges of the planes and each provided at its ends with angular portions fitting against the adjacent faces of the plane sections, said plane sections being notched to provide loops, said loops being engaged about said angular portions to secure said brace sections in position, certain of said loops having openings formed therein, and wires engaged in said openings and bracing said plane sections.

5. In a toy aeroplane of the biplane type and in combination with the upper and lower planes thereof, brace members arranged at the longitudinal edges of'the planes and each provided at its ends with angular portions fitting against the adjacent faces of the plane sections, said plane sections being notched to provide loops, said loops being engaged about said angular portions to secure said brace sections in position, certain of said loops having openings formed therein, guy wires engaged in said openings and bracing said plane sections, and a fuselage secured to the lower plane section and through which certain of said braces eX- tend.

6. In a toy aeroplane, a fuselage comprising a hollow sheet metal body and a reinforcing member disposed within the forward end of the body, a shaft secured in the forward end of the reinforci'ngmember and extending through the forward end of the fuselage, a propeller structure journaled on said shaft, a pivotal mountingfor said fuselage extending through said reinforcing member, and a tail structure carried by the fuselage. v

7. A toy aeroplane adapted for use as a Weathercock embodying a hollow fuselage provided at its forward end With areinforcing member, aligned vertical openings formed through said reinforcing member and fuselage, bearings carried by said reinforcing member, a vertical shaft engaged in said bearings, means disposed upon the up per surface of the fuselage and engaging the upper end of the shaft for limiting downward movement of the fuselage upon the shaft, and means secured to the lower surface of the fuselage and coacting With means extending through said shaft for limiting upward movement of the fuselage.

In testimony Wherof I hereunto affix my 20 signature.

MICHAEL R. RUMFELT. 

